If they knock on your door, let them in!

We sang acapella in church.

I DID IT. I DID IT.

My vision was closing in on me right before and I told the Bishop to be prepared to catch me if I fainted but alas, I did not. We got through it and I mean, how can you not feel the Spirit when "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" is sung?

We had a "Silent Night" in our ward. I stole the name from "Silent Weekends" I went to as an ASL student at BYU. We planned a few games in which you weren't allowed to talk and had some of the children put on a silent skit.

It was a huge success and the ward is getting much more comfortable with the deaf and BSL. :)

Then one day we were walking by this HUGE barking dog and were counting our lucky stars that he was on the other side of a gate next to this tall stone wall. Walking past we were chatting and said:
"Wouldn't it be so funny if the dog jumped over the stone wall? Ha ha ha"

And guess what.

The dog's giant head and front paws appeared on the top of the wall as if to jump over.

Suddenly, the idea didn't seem as funny anymore as we sprinted away. Hahahaha.

I dunnae ken what is up with me and dogs!

We have a few potential people to teach as of this week and we are so excited the work is hastening!

We are also getting a new Mission President on Wednesday, President Donaldson. I will miss President Brown but him and his wife are coming back to the ward I'm currently serving in. :)

I love being a missionary! If they knock on your door, let them in!

Sister Skagen

I Love Pizza

Today is my 8th month mark.
How is this possible?

People always say your mission flies by and I'm starting to believe it. It's making me sad. I'm loving this!

Scots people are different than American's. They aren't loud in public, they don't give hugs (or "cuddles" as they call them) and they don't really smile on the street.

They also don't eat a lot of  Domino's Pizza. Apparently. 
Picture this:

3 Sister Missionaries

Holding a large pizza... each

Sitting at a bus stop

Counting all the crazy looks from people

And then getting on a bus..

that doesn't really have room for 3 sister missionaries with bags let alone giant pizzas.

However. The pizza was delicious and the people we sat next to on the bus were so nice.

We had a lovely lesson with Hannah this week and she has promised to come to church on the 28th. Pray hard! We are also singing a song acapella so pray for that too..mostly just pray for me because I don't sing.

This week I've really been studying and pondering about what the Lord's plan for me, specifically, is. If you haven't asked Him (which I've never even thought of doing before--but I did!), you should. You won't get the full answer right away because that's not how we learn. You will receive it here a little and there a little. Take that, build on it and move forward. You got this!

Have a fabulous week!

Sister Skagen

"Happiness is the object and design of our existence." - Joseph Smith

Hello Hello! We had Zone Development yesterday which is why I'm writing on Tuesday. I did a round-off tuck on the grass which I haven't done in agesssss. But I'm happy I can still whip something out. My body isn't that happy though..probably because I did a handstand on a slackline too... Welp. Pain is weakness leaving the body! Hoorah!

In other news.

We had a lesson with an Ishaya monk. She is very committed to her vows and told us all about 3 states of consciousness and other things I don't quite remember. She was really a lovely person and it's always interesting to me to listen to other's beliefs.

We also met this dear old woman named Mrs. Haggart. I feel that she should be (maybe she already is) in a book of some sort. We stopped her on the street and had a fabulous chat. And then, she tried to set us up with her grandsons...guess how old they are?

One is 18 and then 16 year old twins.

I got dibbs on the 18 year old since I'm the oldest. Sorry Sister Wilkinson and Sister Jackson.

hahaha she was great though and we politely laughed and looked uncomfortable when she talked about them so we think she got the hint.

I love Joseph Smith's experience. Boyd K. Packer says that we read his account too seldom and I'd have to agree. I've been reading in Joseph Smith History and I am amazed at this man and the persecution he dealt with from the age of 14. FOURTEEN.
He mentions how these men in high esteem publicly persecuted him (among many other things) and got others to join...to ridicule a BOY.

Read his account. Read the Book of Mormon. And then TELL ME that he made it all up.
 ''No evil man could write such a book as this.  And no good man would.  Unless it were true, and he were commanded of God to do so.'' -Elder Holland

I can not deny my witness from the Spirit on this. Joseph Smith couldn't either because.it .happened.

Love,
Sister Skagen

Hot Sauce and Holland

WHAT A WEEK.

Oh my days.

If you know me, you will never believe I did this. We went to a sandwich place called Mean Green Sandwich Machine in Burntisland. Sil, the owner is a so cool. The little hole in the wall is wonderful.

And, he has a hot sauce challenge. And you have to sign a waiver just to TRY the hot sauce.
The amount of the sauce was minuscule.  He put it on our fingers with a tooth pick.

And I did it.

I'm talking a dot the size of a mustard seed caused my mouth to literally feel like I ate fire. SO HOT. We were drinking milkshakes and ice and it wasna going away!

I'll call it a success though on account of  Sil said that we took it much better than the grown men that try it -- they run outside screaming, begging for water, etc. CHAMPIONS.

And guess what else happened? Probably the best week of my life.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland came to speak to our mission.

Um. Is this real life? Is this gonna last forever? I certainly hoped it would.
It was an incredible experience and I can't even begin to describe the insights I received. He was the picture of power - as Elder Holland always is - and I feel blessed to have been in the same room as him and shake his hand.  (Shaylee, I'm sorry I didn't get a selfie with him for you!)

Some thing that he said that really hit me was this:
"We are God's investigators. Whatever we want for our investigators, He wants for us. If you want them to change habits, you need to change habits too."
How can we ask people to do things if we ourselves aren't doing them? We ask our investigators to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and though we have already done so, are we continuing to do it? To re-solidify our testimonies? Once is not enough!

Sorry not sorry for the missionary moment.
I JUST LOVE THIS WORK.

Sister Skagen

Tremendous Trio

Wow.

I've been in a trio before for a week but a whole transfer will be crazy!

The most annoying thing about a trio is the fact that we can't all walk on the sidewalk side by side. Drives me mental! I don't care that showers have to be quicker or that we go through toilet paper faster, I just want to walk next to my companions!

It's a hard life, I know.

Also. Sister Wilkinson was getting up off the bus and her bag got stuck in my hair and yanked out a chunk. I am a bald-y now. I'll attach a picture.

This week we talked to loads of great people, seriously the people in Kirkcaldy are so nice! I mean, aside from the crazies it's pretty solid here. Our BSL is coming along nicely as well :)

Margaret is working towards a baptismal date :) I cannae explain what an example of faith she is to me. She said something that really hit me this week:

"People around me are always trying to push me down and I cannae grow. But your church lifts people up."

That is what every single missionary longs to hear.
I am amazed at the miracles I am able to witness.

God is real!

Love,
Sister Skagen